Your Daddy's Rich, and Your Momma's good lookin
by ableangelgremlin
Summary: summer after regional's defeat and Rachel and Puck interact more than either expected: Disclaim- I don't own Glee.
1. Chapter 1: Lonely House

Ch 1

In the weeks following Regionals, the members of Glee were focused on finals (Rachel) and setting up their summer plans (everyone else). Glee rehearsals were sparsely attended- mostly to avoid the awkwardness between Finn, Quinn and Puck when they were in the same room- and Mr. Schuester gave a reprieve from learning any new numbers until the fall, when they would refocus. Mostly, the crew gossiped in their pre-established subsets (Tina, Mercedes and Kurt in one corner, Brittany and Santana in the other, sometimes Artie jammed on the guitar, while Matt and Mike practiced dance moves) and discussed their respective summer plans:

Kurt would be visiting cousins in New York. He was simultaneously excited and reluctant to go. He worried about leaving his dad alone, but would never admit that to Mercedes and Tina. In fact, it had been his father's idea- that getting out of Lima and to a more "liberal" atmosphere (Kurt's words) with more people who enjoyed "girly stuff" (his Dad's words) would be a good experience for Kurt. Mercedes was going to a fashion design summer camp. Brittany and Santana had cheerleading camp -they would be bunking together and everyone else wondered but never asked exactly what that implied.

Rachel spent most of the post-sectionals Glee club meetings marking up sheet music of potential selections for her to practice over the summer (and ultimately debut as selections for Sectionals in the fall) and eaves-dropping on various conversations. Occasionally when Kurt talked about his plans in New York, she would play with the seam of her skirt and listen jealously. Her summer would be filled with her regular dance and music lessons, but she had no plans to go away- let alone to New York, the city of her future career. No one asked her about her summer plans and she wondered if anyone from Glee would even speak to her over the summer.

While Quinn and Puck didn't seem exceptionally upset that she had spilled the beans to Finn, it obviously hadn't sparked any new friendship between her and the two of them. She knew Finn was grateful she had told him, but since Sectionals he had really retreated from the Glee social scene. He never showed up for practices (although she suspected he would be back in the fall) and she would only see him in passing around the hallways. She didn't know exactly what she had expected- true, she had hoped that he would be eternally grateful to her and confide in her, and maybe they could go to the movies or something… but she understood he needed time and wasn't comfortable being in an environment where Quinn or Puck were in the same room.

The other members of Glee regarded Rachel with a wary distance- true, they had never been particularly close, but after she told Finn the truth about the baby's paternity it seemed as if the other members of Glee thought they couldn't trust her.

Rachel was more determined than ever not to let it bother her. She was focused on her goals: 1. preparing an incredible solos for Sectionals and Regionals next year, 2. Winning the national competition, and 3. propelling herself to Broadway greatness- and she had let her friendship (infatuation) with Finn interfere with her realizing those goals.

Still, she liked sitting in the choir room with her fellow Glee members and listening to their plans for the summer. She knew she would miss their company- it seemed likely her summer would be very lonely. Her dad was on one of many business trips scheduled to continue throughout her summer, and her daddy was preparing for a big legal case. While he often worked nights and weekends from his home office, the house was dark and quiet when Rachel got home. Most nights she would study in her room, spend forty-five minutes on her elliptical, and then record her daily myspace video before going to bed. While there had been no reprieve in negative (and harassing!) comments on her videos, she had at least one video which had over 500 views! Although she suspected this may be becomes Jacob Ben-Israel (shudder) had linked to it on his blog with the note that her panties were visible at minute 2:29 (they absolutely were not!). She had no idea how many of those views were in fact Jacob, but she figured that at least a substantial portion had to be other people, and at least one of those people had to watch because they enjoyed her singing.

The day of Rachel's last exam, she waited in the hall way (braving the risk of a slushy facial) looking for Finn so she could find out about his summer plans (maybe he wanted to hang out). As Rachel watched faces going by impatiently, she didn't see Finn, but saw Puck across the hallway, talking to a cheerio. She looked at Puck briefly, mostly to register whether he had a slushy in his hand. He didn't, but he must have felt her eyes on him because he looked up and caught her gaze. Rachel blushed furiously (she didn't know why really.. she wasn't *staring* at Puck, she just happened to be looking at him when he looked at her). To her surprise, almost imperceptibly, Puck nodded his head at her, and she waved shyly at him- "have a nice summer, Noah," she thought. With a final glance around for Finn, Rachel signed disappointedly, and headed home to begin summer vacation.

Ch 2

GleeGG


	2. Chapter 2: And so it is

____

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Ch 2

The second week of summer vacation was barely over and Rachel was listless. She woke up each morning to her routine of elliptical, following by a healthy vegan breakfast, and voice and dance lessons in short order, but by 2:00 p.m. she was back home and lonely. She could only fill so many hours with reading and watching movies. She often spent entire days on her own. Her father's case was gearing up for trial, and most evenings he would come out of his office only to fill a plate from the take-out containers. He worked till the early morning hours most nights, compiling papers and exhibits, and it seemed that every day he had deliveries of boxes from his law firm of more and more documents. Occasionally he would sit at the table with Rachel and let her ramble on about her dance class or the new song she was learning while he marked up a legal brief or reviewed an exhibit. She knew he wasn't really listening, and that his distracted murmers weren't actually acknowledging what she said, but she was still happy to share the room with him, and as the days went by, he didn't seem to notice as she said less and less, and they ate in a comfortable silence. Which is why Rachel was so abruptly startled one evening when her father looked up and addressed her

"Oh honey, I forgot to tell you, I hired one of your friends to come over and help me prepare for this case. . ." her daddy said.

Rachel crinkled her brow in confusion. One of her friends? "Who?" she asked.

"Oh you know, that boy from your Glee Club that you said has a beautiful singing voice…"

"Finn?" she squeaked. He hadn't so much as responded to a single one of her texts or emails.

"No, no, that boy Noah… Puckerman, is it?"

"Noah?" Rachel was confused. "You hired Noah?" Her father had already turned back to his pile of papers.

"Yes, well he came by the other day. I think you were out at dance class... Anyway, he knocked on the door and said he was looking to do some yardwork or pool cleaning, or something like that. Anyway, I told him that I didn't think we needed yardwork, and we don't have a pool, but that I was thinking of hiring a paralegal to help me with this case so I could continue to work from home, and asked if he might be interested…It has to pay better than pool cleaning at any rate," Rachel's father looked up and chuckled, "He said that his mother always told him the best jewish boys are lawyers or doctors, so he'd like to give it a try. Anyway he's starting tomorrow."

"Oh." Rachel stared at her plate. Suddenly she felt a little queasy. Noah hadn't blamed her, _per se_, for telling Finn about Beth's paternity, and he hadn't slushied her in months, but they weren't exactly "friends," and according to him they never had been and never would be. She couldn't imagine seeing him regularly, in her home. She had never told her fathers about the slushies, or the myspace comments. She knew they would only complain to the school, which would only instigate further bullying. And while she was (unfairly) credited with having told half the school that Noah was the father, she had never even told her dads that the head cheerleader was pregnant. It would only lead to an incredibly uncomfortable (and totally unnecessary) conversation about being "safe" and "respecting her body." A conversation she imagined was awkward enough for children with only one father. Rachel pushed her food around her plate until her father got up, deposited his plate in the sink, said goodnight, and retreated back to his study.

She knew Noah wanted to work this summer to provide for Quinn, which she found quite chivalrous. She remembered the fight Noah and Finn had before anyone knew Noah was the father, when Noah seemed unreasonably upset that Finn couldn't provide for his pregnant girlfriend, and she knew that Noah had tried to get Quinn to accept the cupcake money, and even though he wrongfully appropriated it, Rachel though it was a sweet effort.

Rachel had been lost in her thoughts, but suddenly her eyes widened. What would Finn think? If Noah was at her house everyday, Finn might get the wrong impression. She didn't to choose sides, but she also didn't want to add any additional barriers to whatever was keeping Finn from spending time with her this summer. She knew it was no use to ask her dad to reconsider hiring Noah, but decided to avoid the downstairs whenever Noah was in the house. But even as she resolved to avoid him, the loneliness she felt every day flared up and she thought that the occasional passing word with Noah wouldn't be the worst thing in the world… friends or not.

The next day when Rachel got back home from her dance class, she knew he was there. The silence was more deafening, the house uncommonly still and she swore it _smelled_ differently, like sandlewood. She resisted the urge to peek into her father's office, and even decided to forego a glass of water in the kitchen on her way upstairs. The sooner she got to her room, the more likely she could avoid a run in with Noah, which could only be made more awkward by the fact she was still wearing her ballet leotard and tights, with just a basic denim skirt pulled over. She wouldn't need to go downstairs until at least dinner time, and she expected he'd leave well before then. But even as she congratulated herself on successfully avoiding Noah on day one, she ruefully acknowledged that she wasn't planning on just lounging around in sweatpants the way she normally, but actually getting completely dressed for the day, blowing out her hair and putting on make up, although she had no plans to leave the house for the evening. She knew she secretly hoped to see him, even if only to have some sense of contact with the rest of the world.

She bided time by checking her email and dialing her voicemail. The phone didn't show any missed calls or messages, but she figured the technology didn't always work perfectly, and she'd hate if that was the reason she didn't return a call from Finn. She frowned as the monotone voice told her she had no new messages, and sat down at her computer to type Finn an e-mail. But rather than sending it, as she had grown accustomed every couple of days, this time, on line 4 she stopped and stared at the cursor, and then finally deleted the draft. Until now she had told herself not to take Finn's lack of response personally, but the voice of reason and doubt in her head berated her, "Rachel, take a hint."

"It's unfair," she thought, not for the first time. She had been _nothing_ but a friend to Finn Hudson, the _only one _with the guts to tell him the truth, and keep him from a lot more pain in the long run. It almost made her angry; he was so inconsistent. He was a beacon of mixed signals. He had even told her he loved her, and then took it back, attributing it to excitement before their final performance. After that, she was sure she'd seen him turn and walk the other way each time their eyes met across the hallway. And eventually he'd just faced her and told her he needed time, that he cared about her, but wasn't ready to face the world, and his school mates, with her by his side. She told him she understood, buy she couldn't deny she was hurt, and now he wouldn't even return her parlays at friendship. She felt abandoned. She knew he probably never watched her myspace page, but she decided to record a song for him anyway. She downloaded the itunes karaoke version for background music and hit record on her camera, took a deep breath and, foregoing her traditional introduction, sang:

_Two faces_  
_Playing with my trust in you_  
_You cover all your traces_  
_And watch me relax with you_  
_Insidious_  
_Creep away and do your deal_  
_Return what you think is you_  
_It couldn't be further from the truth_

_Cruel, Keeping us a secret_  
_Fool, you surely are_  
_It's so You, blind to all the damage done_  
_You go too far_

_Couldn't you have told me before?_  
_I would have loved you, So much more_  
_Couldn't you have told me before_

_Feeling like an outlaw…_

Her voice caught on the last note, just as she heard a knock on the door. She hurried over to turn off the camera and went to answer the door. Why was her heart was pounding? Rachel cracked the door and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she heard her father's voice. "Pumpkin, sorry to bother you, but you didn't hear me calling from downstairs. . ." It was impossible to hear anything through the soundproofing. "No problem, daddy, what's up?" Rachel asked. "I just wanted to let you know you should order dinner for three tonight okay?" Rachel's cheeks burned as the implications of his words sunk in. "Noah and I will be working late…" Rachel relaxed a little, if they were working late they would just probably eat in her daddy's office. "Ok daddy, how's it going so far?" He father smiled. She was struck suddenly by how tired his eyes looked. "So far so good, pumpkin, but there's still a lot of work to do. Let us know when dinner is here, ok?"

Rachel nodded, and followed her father downstairs so she could pull the take out menus out of the drawer in the kitchen. She grabbed the menu from their favorite chinese place, but hesitated. What if Noah didn't like Chinese? Did he not eat pork? She wasn't used to ordering for anyone but her father and herself. She decided to play it safe. She ordered two pizzas- a vegan one for her and a regular one for her father and Noah. It arrived 30 minutes later, and she crept over to the office door. She put one ear to the door, but the room was quiet. She knocked softly and said "Dinner's here!" through the door, before rushing away. A moment later she heard them open the door and head to the kitchen. She heard her father say "Avoid the box with the 'V' on it, that's Rachel's vegan pizza" and she heard Noah chuckle and speak for the first time "Thanks for the warning." She felt her pace quicken as his deep vibratto travelled through the room. She heard them exchange a few words as they pulled out plates and served themselves, but she sat on the stairs until she heard the office door close again. Only then did she make her way into the kitchen to grab a slice of pizza, not stopping to look around and figuring to make a fast escape. Her heart jumped and her breath caught and she heard someone clear his throat from the kitchen table behind her.

"Avoiding me, Berry?" She turned around slowly and her eyes met hazel.

"Noah," she said breathily.

AN: I don't own Glee and I don't own "Outlaw" by Olive.


	3. Chapter 3: If I kiss you where its sore

Though she could not imagine why, Rachel's head suddenly felt light and her legs quivered. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She grasped the counter behind her for balance and drank Noah's appearance in. He looked different. She couldn't remember having ever seen Noah in anything other than a t-shirt and his letterman jacket, but today, sitting at her kitchen table, he wore a white button down shirt, unbuttoned to reveal his tan chest and rolled to the elbows. The mohawk hadn't fully returned. He looked older, more mature. Rachel steeled herself and turned back toward the counter shuffling the plates as she replied, "No, Noah, not avoiding you. I expected you and my father would be very busy, and would prefer not to be bothered." She heard him push his chair back from the table and walk toward her. "You don't bother me, Berry," he replied and continued after a pause, "Do I bother you? Or just get you hot and bothered?" Rachel clenched her jaw. Same old Noah, ripe with innuendo. The worst part to Rachel was that she flushed as his eyes raked over her, that she _liked _it. There was something about Noah; when he looked at her she felt him appreciate her body, and thought that he saw past the cardigans and knee socks and lingered on every patch of skin, every curve. His flirtatious ribbing made her feel both attractive and infuriated. Angry at him for provoking her, and angry at her own feathers for getting ruffled.

His gentle teasing was just enough to flare her temper and curiosity. She whirled toward him and took a determined step to meet him mid-kitchen, asking as she took the dirty plate from his hand, "When did you develop a newfound interest in law Noah? It seems out of character to you." To her surprise he took a step back, and ran his head over his hair, looking a little embarrassed, "Yeah, well don't worry Berry, it's probably short-lived." Rachel frowned and looked over at him, "What do you mean?" Noah looked down, "Well, when your father realizes what an idiot he hired this gig will be over before it's startes." Rachel was struck by Noah's incredibly unexpected display of humility. "You're not an idiot," she contradicted, before the thought even registered.

Noah began to pace the kitchen floor restlessly, oozing frustration, "This law stuff," he sighed, "it's like a different language!" Rachel flooded with sympathy, "No… not a different language, just a different vocabulary." Noah looked at her, "language, vocabulary. . . it doesn't matter. I don't get it, and if I don't get it, I can't be much help to your father," he continued, "he even gave me a legal dictionary to look stuff up, but even the definitions are impossible to understand." Rachel was dumbfounded- this was the most she could ever remember Noah having said to her. He paced to the kitchen table and slammed his hands down against the wood surface, "I'm sick of being a lima loser!"

Rachel glanced nervously toward her father's study, hoping he wouldn't over hear Noah's outburst. Thank goodness that was the second room they soundproofed after her bedroom. Noah was leaning against the table with his head staring down towards his hands. She approached Noah slowly, and placed a gentle hand on his arm, trying to ignore the warmth emanating from his body and the way her heart fluttered from their proximity. "Noah, you're _not_ a lima loser. You can do this. You just need someone to explain it to you. . ." She paused, "if you want I can help, _believe me_, if there's one place I can help it's vocabulary. He turned his head up toward her and met her gaze but didn't say anything. She was struck by the vulnerability that flickered in his eyes.

"C'mon," she said, as she pulled out the kitchen chair, "tell me what words you don't understand. . ." Noah grimaced good-naturedly and sat down next to her. "What the hell is 'has-bees corpses'?" he asked. Rachel chucked, "Habeas corpus. . ." she said. She grabbed a pen and legal pad and spelled it out for him. "It's a request to the court from someone who has been jailed to be released from imprisonment."

"So that's what any prisoner in jail send to the court to get out?"

Rachel smiled, "No… habeas corpus is an extraordinary remedy, sometimes a prisoner's last hope after all other options have been exhausted." He pushed the pad toward her again, "Okay, what's a 'men's ray'?" "Mens rea…" Rachel corrected . . . They continued like this for over an hour, sitting side by side, knees touching and they crouched over a single legal pad, until Noah noticed that Rachel was yawning and rubbing her eyes. "You're tired," he said, stating the obvious, "Rache- thanks, y'know, for all of this. How. . ." he stopped and she looked at him quizzically. "How do you know all this stuff?" he finally asked.

Rachel smiled, "I think its genetic," she said "Every kid is something like their dad." The good-natured expression dropped suddenly from Noah's face, and was replaced with dark hostility. Rachel felt as if she had just had a bucket of cold water dumped on her, as Noah pushed forcefully away from the table and stood up. "Whatever, Berry," he said, "y'know what, just tell your dad I won't be coming back ok? We both know I'm not cut out for this crap," and turned and stormed away, before Rachel could respond. She felt her eyes fill as she stared at the table, mortified. Almost immediately she realized what she had done wrong- implying that Noah had some of his father in him was a terrible insult. And now Noah had finally gotten an opportunity to prove he was smarter than anyone gave him credit for, and for over an hour he had been _nice _to her, and she hadn't felt lonely, and now it was all her fault he left and was giving up.

Rachel didn't even stop to think about her actions, before she grabbed her jacket and rushed out the door. She would find Noah and _apologize. _ She could fix this!

She didn't make it very far, because Noah was sitting in his truck, parked across the street (why hadn't she noticed it when she came in earlier?), and she could see the silhouette of his forehead pressed against the steering wheel. His shoulders sagged with sorrow and defeat. She walked over to the passenger side door and hesitated only for a moment before opening the door and stepping into the truck. He immediately sat up, his shoulders stiff and concrete and his jaw clenched. "What do you want, Berry? To rub it in some more?" Rachel stared straight ahead, "Noah. . ." she stopped. They were both silent for a moment. She turned to him, "Noah, I shouldn't have said that, about fathers." "Why not?" he growled, "we both know it's true."

"No… Noah, it's not true," Rachel said softly. "I should've said that children learn something from their fathers," she continued hurriedly so he couldn't interrupt, "and you _did. _You learned how to be strong, and work hard, and not walk away. Parents should teach by good example, but not all do. I'm sorry you learned the hard way, Noah… But you… you deserve _more _than this, you can _be _more than he ever was." Rachel had no idea where her confidence in her words stemmed from, but as she spoke them she could feel how right and true they were. For a moment they just sat side by side and listened to one another breathe. Then Noah turned his face towards hers and she saw his expression was softer, "Do you think people have a little of their mother's in them too?" he asked. Rachel shook her head, and felt her eyes water again, "I wouldn't know, Noah." Noah smiled, "I think they do, Berry, and… and I guess it's okay then, that your mom is going to raise my daughter." Rachel was breathless; this side of him was so bizarre, so unexpected, and so not the same Puck she knew who tormented her. Where did this person come from?

"Berry . . . remember the day back on bleachers." Rachel caught her breath- they had _never _talked about that day. "You said you want everything too much. Well, what _do_ you want Berry?" Rachel laughed a little coldly, "Right now…I _want_ you to call me 'Rachel,' I want you to come back and work for my father, and try _harder_, and I want you to be happy, Noah." Noah leaned toward her a little, "Why do you want me to be happy, Rachel?" Rachel felt his breath across her lips and was suddenly aware how close they were. "I don't know," she whispered, she lifted her right hand and groped along the wall until she found the cool handle and held it tenuously. She couldn't say who leaned first, but their faces were suddenly so close, and she was staring at Noah's lips, which were gently parted. She looked up to meet his eyes through her lashes and trembled and the intensity that burned there. She saw her father's office light turned off in the corner of her eye and instinctively pulled back, opening the door and retreating into the night air in a single swift movement. "Noah," she said, her shield back in place, "if you want to quit, you tell my father yourself. You need to prove to yourself that your dad didn't teach you how to walk away from things." She felt the coldness and challenge in her words, and hoped they would find their target. "I hope I'll see you tomorrow, Noah." She said and closed the door and sprinted back toward the house. Noah watched her retreating form with a steely gaze, and after she was safe back inside the house, her turned the engine and headed off into the night.

Fifteen minutes later she was sitting at her computer when her phone buzzed indicating a missed text. She picked up her phone and pressed the button to check. It was from Noah:

"Thanks. See you tomorrow Rachel*" The tears which had plagued her all evening finally fell. She couldn't believe he had thought to add the star after her name. It wasn't until later as she stared at the glow in the dark stars stuck to her ceiling that she realized that not even for a single moment after the phone buzzed did she think or hope it could be a message from Finn.

Chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4: The only company I seek

If everything had gone as Rachel expected the next morning she would have had plenty of time to plan her first words to Noah that day. She could've spent every minute of dance class practicing her plies and playing out conversations with Noah in her head. By 2:00 she would've been completed composed and prepared and able to qualm any of the recent involuntary reactions that seemed to develop in direct proportion to the distance between their bodies. Of course, this was all thrown completely out the window when Noah burst through the door to her bedroom (her bedroom!) at 8:00 a.m. with his arms full, simply radiating energy. He didn't even afford her a glance as he dumped his packages on her desk, and a slurry of words came out of his mouth. "Berry, thank god you're still here. I know you're leaving in a little bit, but you gotta help me understand this stuff before I talk to your dad . . ." Noah rummaged in the paper bag he had brought, "and if you're nice and you help me I'll ply you with bagels and coffee. . ." He turned toward her with a coffee cup in hand and only then did he take in her appearance. Rachel, for her part, was dumbfounded and spluttered with indignation, "Don't you knock?"

"Berry . . ." Noah snorted, "What the hell are you wearing?"

Rachel looked down at her leotard and pink tights and immediately colored to her forehead. She stormed to her bathroom and grabbed the towel that was drying over her door and clutched it to her chest to cover the skin tight garments. "Are you crazy? Noah, it's 8 o'clock in the morning, what on earth are you doing breaking and entering into my bedroom, which by the way is a place in which I should enjoy some _privacy_, this is completely rude and inappropriate . . . and oh my god, Noah! what on _earth_ do you think you're _doing_?" During Rachel's tirade, Noah had pulled out his cell phone and centered the camera on her, "Sorry babe, I need a photo of this for propensity."

Rachel groaned, and if possible, turned even more red, "Pro_sper_ity, Noah, and so help me god, if you take a picture of me right now . . ." She heard the distinct sound of the shutter click. "Argh!" Rachel stormed at Noah and threw herself at him grabbing for the hand holding the phone over her head. In her frustration, she completely dropped the towel she had been clutching, and only when she felt Noah's arm curl around her waist and settle on her back did she squeal with embarrassment. She was wearing a skin-tight leotard and was _pressed_ against Noah's chest, and she felt him lean down toward her neck and whisper, "I should make you mad more often." Rachel planted both hands on his chest and pushed away from him. She clutched one arm over her breasts and pointed at the door with the other, "Get out!" Noah's eyes flickered with indecision. To Rachel's surprise he curled his lips into a pout and he opened his eyes wide. "Rache… I'm sorry I busted in to your room without knocking,and _believe me_ I don't mind your outfit at all, but I really need your help, and I brought you coffee, please help." Rachel huffed with frustration, "Noah Puckerman, if you think puppy-dog eyes are going to make me forget that you're a total jerk, you are sorely mistaken, and for your information I drink tea, _herbal _tea and I am getting a lock installed on my bedroom door." Puck raised a single eyebrow. "To keep you out, Puckerman!"

"But you'll help?" Noah had the audacity to ask. "Noah, get out of my bedroom, and go downstairs. I'm going to put some _clothes _on and I'll come down in five minutes and see if I can help, and so help me, if you ever burst into my room again at 8:00 o'clock in the morning . . ."

Noah cut her off, "careful babe, someday you may be begging me to burst in your bedroom" and he slid out the door, narrowly missing a trophy that Rachel grabbed and threw at his retreating figure. Rachel's heart was pounding. She put both hands in her hair and moaned. "Noah Puckerman is the most infuriating boy I've ever met!" she fumed.

Rachel grabbed a large t-shirt and a pair of shorts from her drawer and pulled them on, and then paused in front of her vanity to put on lip gloss before heading downstairs. Noah was sitting at the kitchen table eating a bagel and looking very satisfied with himself. "Ber…_Rachel_," Noah caught himself as Rachel glared at him, "Let me ask you something . . . you have dudes in your dance class right?" Rachel snorted, "Yes, Noah there are men who take ballet." "And they're not all gay dudes, right?" Noah asked. Rachel raised an eyebrow and nodded towards her father's study, "You may want to consider your environment before asking questions like that Noah, but no, I'm sure it will broaden your horizon to learn that some of the men in my class are in fact heterosexual." Noah smirked, "Ok Berry, and those dudes, the ones that don't play for the other team, they see you in that stuff you were wearing earlier, right?" Rachel signed, "do I want to know where you are going with this?" Noah continued, "So why do you have issues when I see you in that stuff, but not when those guys see you in that stuff?"

Rachel sighed, "I don't know Noah, maybe it's because they don't burst into my _bedroom_ at 8:00 in the morning, or maybe it's because they're gentleman who don't _constantly_ undress women with their eyes, or maybe it's because there are 30 other women in the class wearing the same outfit. Does it matter? Look… you have fifteen minutes until I have to leave, just tell me what words you need help with. . ."

Noah looked thoughtful, "Thirty other women? In that outfit? . . . Hey Rache. . . where do you take dance class again?"

Rachel groaned, for the umpteenth time that morning. A wave of exhaustion washed over her- her constantly shifting emotions in Noah's presence were wearing her down- first anger, humiliation, exasperation and now finally, resignation. "Noah, just tell me what you need so I can get out of here. . ."

Noah smirked again, "Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a bunch, hey do you even wear underwear with that thing . . .?"

All day at classes Rachel was terribly distracted. Instead of planning her next encounter with Noah, she ran through the events of the morning in her mind over and over again, mortified each time she thought them through. She was so focused on her total humiliation that she barely noticed when she started her vocal exercises in the wrong key, and later at dance class missed a jete in her pas de deux. That boy knew _exactly_ how to get under her skin. And despite her complete irritation at him, she couldn't deny that she was glad he had decided to continue to work for her dad, she was curious to find out how his day went, and _excited_ to see him that afternoon. She found herself disappointed that it was a Friday, and that she wouldn't get to see him for two whole days, and found herself hoping, however unlikely, that her father had convinced him to work over the weekend.

Her curiosity was amply rewarded when Noah accosted her seconds after she stepped through the front door. "Berry, thank god you're back!" He held up a large velo-bound document. "Your dad total me to 'digest' this thing, and I don't care what kind of job this is, it's just _inhuman_ to make me eat paper." Rachel giggled. "I think you mean 'inhumane,' Noah, and believe me, he doesn't want you to eat it." Noah smiled back at her, "See, Berry, this is exactly why I need you around. So what does he mean?" Rachel tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach when Noah said he 'needed' her. "He wants you to try and summarize it." Noah groaned, "That's even worse! You know how long this thing is?" Rachel laughed. "Okay, let me go shower and change and I'll come down and show you a trick as to how to do it."

"Thanks, Rache. You're the best."

Thirty minutes later Rachel and Noah were hunched over the table as she showed Noah how to create a digest of a transcript. Noah looked at her and frowned, "I don't get it…if you know how to do all this stuff, why did you dad need to hire me?" Rachel shrugged, "I guess because he knows I don't like it, it would just distract me from what I'd rather be doing." "Oh." Noah's tone of voice caught her attention, and Rachel looked at him. Did he look . . .sad? "Alright, Berry, well don't worry, I think I can figure it out from here." Rachel almost laughed, but held back, "Oh Noah, don't worry, I may not like doing the work itself, but for some reason, I don't mind helping you." Noah gave her the most genuine smile she had ever seen, and she caught her breath as his green eyes positively sparkled. Rachel pushed her chair away from the table and headed for the kitchen cabinet, "Hey Noah . . .how do you feel about Chinese?" she asked as she pulled the menus out of the drawer. Noah grinned, "Love it."

After ordering dinner Rachel headed up to her room for a bit, but kept fidgeting. She checked her email, and browsed the internet (checking each bio on the ABT website for the hundredth time at least) and reading reviews on the websites for the New York Times and New Yorker magazine of ongoing shows. But she clicked through her favorite links impatiently, and jumped up immediately when the doorbell rang indicating dinner had arrived. "I'll get it," she yelled as she ran down the stairs. She never tipped the delivery boy more generously.

Over dinner, daddy came out of his study and for once mealtime passed with regular conversation. Rachel listened interestedly as her father grilled Noah about his plans for the future. "I guess I'll have to take some community college classes to catch up," Noah admitted, "Otherwise I don't think I'll get into a good school." Her daddy looked thoughtful, "Y'know, Noah, I'm good friends with someone who works in admissions for Ohio State, maybe I could make a call on your behalf?" Noah shook his head, "Thank you, sir, but I'm really hoping to go to school somewhere a little further from home." "Oh," Rachel's dad said, "Anywhere particular?" "Well," Noah said, "I was actually looking at schools in New York." Rachel choked on her food. "Really?" Rachel's father asked, "You know, Rachel has always wanted to go to school in New York . . ." he paused and looked at Rachel who was still coughing, "Are you okay honey?" Rachel cleared her throat, "Yes, daddy, I just, um, need a glass of water." She just _knew_ Noah was doing this to torture her, he had to be, in the last year, as Rachel had expounded on the virtues of Broadway and how dreams are born in New York, never _once_ had Noah even so much as a nodded in agreement. "Well, there are some great schools in New York," her father continued, "and Rachel will be so lucky to know someone there, won't you honey." Rachel glared at Noah, and his eyes danced back at her, "Yup daddy, lucky _indeed_."

After her father had retreated back to his study Noah, infuriatingly, kept chuckling under his breath. "Oh Berry, you should've seen the look on your face!" Rachel just glared at him, "I'm going to bed, _good night_ Noah." Noah continued to laugh. Rachel heard his voice just as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, Berry…" Rachel huffed "I _said_ good night, Noah," and started up the stairs. She stopped short as she heard his voice almost directly behind her, "Rachel." She turned around, he was standing on the bottom step. "Yes, Noah?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

"So?" she asked.

"So, you wanna do something?"

Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5: all that I have to give

"Tomorrow's Saturday."

"So?" she asked.

"So, you wanna do something?"

Rachel looked at Noah quizzically, "Like a date?" she asked, embarrassed at how her voice came out an octave too high. Noah chucked, "No, no like a date. Like two people, who don't find each other's company awful, who hang out, like normal people."

Rachel grinned, "Like friends?" she prompted.

"Look Berry, I don't know if we're 'friends' or whatever . . ." Rachel scowled while Noah continued, "but _maybe, _just maybe, you don't make me want to set myself on fire anymore, okay?"

Rachel almost laughed, "Thank you, Noah, for such a perfectly back-handed compliment."

"So?" Noah asked, "You wanna do something tomorrow or what?"

"Something? Like what?"

Noah groaned, "I dunno, Berry, most people just say they're gonna hang out and figure it out later."

Rachel looked thoughtful. What did she have to lose really? If she said 'no' she'd knew she'd sit home all day regretting it. "Ok, well Noah, thank you for the very thoughtful offer, I would be delighted to 'hang out' with you tomorrow."

Noah smiled, "Cool, why don't you come to mine tomorrow and we'll figure something out."

"Ok . . . what time should I come?"

"Well I don't get up till around noon, so unless you want to get me out of bed, anytime after noon. Or on second thought, come before noon," he smirked, "I dare you."

Rachel smirked, "Goodnight, Noah, I'll see you tomorrow sometime _after_ 12 o'clock," and turned and retired to her bedroom.

The next day, exactly at 12:15 p.m., Rachel Berry knocked primly on Noah's front door. After a long moment of silence, she heard a very shrill voice yell, "Noah! There's someone at the door." And then she waited. And waited. Fifteen long minutes later, Rachel was perturbed, and knocked again, and bit more forcefully.

"No-ah!" the voice shouted, "_Get down here_, they're not going away!"

Rachel frowned. 'Going away,' indeed! Was this any way to treat an invited guest? She reached to turn the door knob just at the moment it was yanked open by a shirtless Noah.

"Wha . . . Berry? What are you doing here?"

Rachel was flabbergasted. "Noah, you invited me here!"

"Oh yeah" Noah lazily rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, "But I thought you were coming later?"

Rachel shoved her cell phone in Noah's face. "Noah- it's a quarter after noon! I can't believe this!" and pivoted marching away angrily.

"Whoa whoa, Berry!" Noah jogged out to Rachel and grabbed her arm. "Where ya going?"

Rachel whirled. "Clearly, you do not have any sense of appropriate social decorum, but let me inform you that it is customary to greet a guest with 'hello! Please come in' and not with 'what are you doing here?" and while we're on the subject, it is _not _appropriate to open the door halfway dressed!" Rachel poked a finger at his bare chest.

Noah just watched Rachel's rant with a semi-amused expression. Did she seriously just stomp her foot?

"Look, Rache. I get what you're saying. But let me ask you something . . .are we friends?"

Rachel grimaced, "I don't know Noah, _you tell me_" she said pointedly.

"Ok ok," Noah said, "That's fair, but I _invited _you over here to _hang out_ as if we were friends, ok. And if we're going to be friends, you gotta throw all that 'social decorations' crap out the window ok? 'Hanging out' means coming over to play video games in our pajamas while my bratty little sister annoys the fuck out of us, okay? It doesn't mean wearing tuxedos to art museums, and you gotta get that through your head."

Rachel's smile was so sudden, it caught Noah off guard. This girl's change of emotions was a sudden as the flick of a light switch. Her eyes sparkled, "Oh Noah- that is a perfect idea!"

"It is?"

"We should definitely go to the art museum! Its free entrance for students and its such a wonderful horizon broadening experience, c'mon get dressed so we can go." And Rachel marched past Noah into his open door, while he looked at her like she was crazy,

"Oh _HELL_ no."

Ten minutes later Noah and Rachel were still arguing in his living room. "Noah- you're the one who brought it up, I don't know what you're complaining about." Noah's little sister watched curiously. "No way, Berry. It was an _example_ of something we were _not _going to do today." Rachel gave Noah an exasperated look. "What did you expect, Noah? That'd I'd come over and play video games?" Noah smirked, because the mental image of Rachel sitting on the floor in front of his TV, skirt bunched around her thighs and biting her lip while she played Sega Genesis, however unlikely, was actually pretty hot.

"Of course not Rache, I figured you'd just sit on the couch and look cute while you watch me play em." Rachel groaned as Noah laughed. "Ok, ok, chill out Rachel. I was just kidding. C'mon now, you're scaring my little sister," nodding over Rachel's shoulder At the mention of Noah's sister, Rachel's back straightened and she glanced around the room apprehensively until her eyes fell on the small figure watching her quizzically on the couch. Rachel smoothed the front of her skirt nervously and took a step toward Noah's sister apologetically, "Sorry. . . I, um, didn't realize you were here. Hi, I'm Rachel." And Rachel held out a hand to shake which Noah's sister looked at with a surprising amount of disdain for an 8 year old. "Are you gonna let my brother stick his tongue in your mouth?" Noah watched the interacting interestedly. Rachel grimaced, "Eew, decidedly not!" she gave a sideglance toward Noah and then whispered to his sister, "Who knows where it's been?" Ella Puckerman looked Rachel thoroughly up and down before giving a nod of approval and reaching out to grab Rachel's hand which was still outstreched. "Okay then, I guess you'll be alright." Rachel laughed while Noah shook his head. "C'mon 'smells,' get ready, we're going out." Ella glared at her brother and then looked up at Rachel, "My name is _Ella_, but doofus calls me 'smells' cause he thinks it's funny." Noah was already heading upstairs and Ella and Rachel followed him, Ella still holding Rachel's hand. At the top of the stairs Ella dropped Rachel's hand a sprinted left, while Noah turned to the right. Rachel hesitated for a moment, before following Noah and pushing open the door to the room he had entered only to find him in his boxers rummaging through a drawer of clothes. "S…sorry." Rachel stuttered and tried to retreat, as Noah's voice followed her, "Trying to get me naked already Berry? I didn't think you had it in you." Rachel's indignation was back in a moment, "I'll have you know, Noah, that it's not _polite_ to leave a guest alone waiting for you." Noah shrugged, "S'not my fault, you coulda followed Smelly, you're the one who chose to come in here." Noah pulled a pair of shorts over his boxers and Rachel found that her ability to breathe became easier in direct proportion to the amount of skin he covered. Noah turned toward Rachel and walked, holding a t-shirt crumpled in his hand, toward her until they were only inches apart. Woefully, Rachel realized she was backed against the wall in the hallway outside Noah's room. "Besides," he said softly, "I notice you still haven't left. Like the gun show, Berry?" Rachel's eyes involuntarily flickered to Noah's bare chest inches away from her body and her eyes lingering on his rippled abdomen and glittering nipple ring. Rachel steeled herself and looked up to meet Noah's eyes, "Noah. . . I think my ticket to the 'gun show' has expired, and _no one_ goes back for a second round." Rachel heard Noah chuckle as he pulled the t-shirt over his head. They both turned to meet Ella who was racing toward them. "I'm ready! Where are we going?" Rachel met Noah's eyes as he shrugged, "I dunno, squirt. Anywhere _but _the art museum, I guess."

Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6: Maybe this time

It turns out that Noah is not nearly as much of a jerk when he's around his sister. In fact, despite a charade of douchebaggery, he's actually quite sweet around Ella, and Rachel finds it disarmingly attractive.

For instance, Noah helped his sister into the backseat of Rachel's Prius and buckled her in ("We gotta take your car, my ride's not kid friendly." Rachel assumed he meant that the truck wasn't "safe" for children, but his leer suggested that there may be other reasons.) But then he swiped the keys from Rachel's hand and despite Rachel's objection, insisted on driving. Rachel was surprised when they pulled into the parking lot for Lima Diner. She touched Noah's arm tentatively, "What if someone from school sees us?" Noah snorted. "Whatever, Berry, I'm having lunch with you and my sister, what's the big deal?" And then he even held the door for her when the walked in. Sure his choice in food was atrocious, "Cheeseburger, chocolate milkshake, and grilled cheese kids meal for "the brat," followed of course with a wink for the waitress. But Rachel also noticed that he asked for an extra cup for his milkshake and poured half for his sister. Noah made no attempt however, at traditional table conversation. Instead, both he and his sister immediately turned over his paper placemat and grabbed crayons from the glass on the table, and began drawing all over the back of the placemat. Rachel giggled quietly as she watched Noah and the carbon-copy miniature version of him squint in concentration, tongue sticking idly out of the sides of both of their mouths, drawing with crayons. Noah continued to concentrate on his drawing, but responded to Rachel's giggle, "Dude, Berry, you better be ready for some kickass art," and he held up a drawing that had surprising likeness to Rachel, with slight caricature. Rachel was shocked. "Wow, Noah, I . . . never knew you could draw." Noah smirked, "Yeah well, Berry, there's a lot you don't know about me." And as their eyes met over his drawing, Rachel felt like there was a lot more meaning to that statement that was immediately apparent. Noah scrutinized Rachel's face, and she could feel herself blush under his critical gaze. "Wait . . .one more fix." And he put the drawing back down on the table and drew big yellow stars around Rachel's portrait. Just as he put on the finishing touches, the waitress came over carrying steaming plates, and Rachel couldn't help herself, and reached over to snatch the drawing just before a greasy plate would have been placed on top of her face. Noah laughed, "So I guess you like my handiwork, huh, Berry?" Rachel couldn't help but smile and give Noah the approbation he sought, "Let's just say maybe I got my art museum after all," and Rachel laughed as she could all but see Noah's ego inflate.

Noah, for his part, was very much conflicted. Rachel had been uncommonly nice to him in the last few days, and he, in turn, had found himself both opening up to her and enjoying her company in ways he hadn't expected. And on top of that, he couldn't get the image of her tight little body in that swimsuit-like dance thing out of his head. Suddenly it seemed like her eyes sparkled more, and her hair smelled incredible, and was he imagining it, or was her laugh a little seductive? And Noah was used to all of these reactions to women, but what he wasn't used to was having a reason not to act on them. He was a stud, and if stud wanted, stud got. Even with Quinn, where the fact that she was his best-friend's girl should have been reason enough to stay away, he barely gave Finn a second thought as he slipped his tongue in Quinn's mouth. So why was he hesitating to inflict the full power of his charm on Crazy Rachel Berry? All of these thoughts were flowing through his head at an alarming pace, and they only increased in intensity every time Rachel's arm accidentally brushed against his. But for once, Noah realized, that the greatest hurdle to acting on desire was his own well-being. This job with Rachel's dad, combined with his complete reliance on Rachel's help to not fuck it up, was a step toward a meal-ticket out of this cow-town. It was the first time someone had given him an opportunity to be something more than a high school jock whose good looks and skill would inevitably fade in time into Lima loserhood. And consistent with his typical selfishness, even when loyalty to his best friend wasn't enough to convince Noah to keep it in his pants, loyalty to his deepest desire to escape Lima at least gave him pause.

On the other hand, Noah's concept of wanting better and more for himself didn't stop with a better job, and a better future, it also included a better woman. I mean, let's face it, the Cheerios were either total bitches or incredibly stupid. And cougars had their benefits (and Noah had reaped those benefits time and time again), but Noah remembered precisely how it felt when his mother came home mortified because she overheard other nurses at the hospital discussing a high school boy who serviced more than their pool. He didn't mind so much that she dragged him to the clinic for STD tests (he posted his "clean bill of health" proudly on his locker at school and came back from class to find 3 or 4 phone numbers written on it), but when his mother looked him right in the eye and told him she was disappointed in him, that hurt. And his only regret from the first time he dated Rachel was that he never got a chance to bring her home. Sure his mom would embarrass the fuck out of him with baby pictures, but underneath it all, he wanted to give her something to be happy over, something to be proud of. Rachel was all of those things, she was smart, and talented, and incredibly determined, all of which combined with a tight body, soft lips, and big sparkly eyes was pretty appealing, and fit perfectly into Noah's concept of life improvement.

As Noah mulled this over, he became aware that both Rachel and Ella were watching him with concerned expressions. Rachel reached over and snapped in front of his face and Noah, startled, looked up. "Noah, are you ok? You kinda zoned out?" Noah shook his head and picked up his milkshake, slurping a sip. "Sorry, food coma." Noah turned toward his little "Hey squirt, you wanna have a 'play date' with Maddie?" Ella scrunched her face, "Noah, I'm way too old to be having 'play dates' . . . but I could hang out with Maddie, I guess." Noah chuckled, "Alright kiddo- lemme call Mrs. Silverman and see if Maddie wants to 'chill' or whatever." To Rachel's surprised Noah didn't call from the table, but instead stood up and told her he'd be right back and headed for the door, dialing as he left. Ella turned to Rachel, "Don't worry, that's just his way of saying he wants to get rid of me." Rachel frowned, "I'm sure he doesn't mean that." Ella displayed a smirk identical to her brother's, "Don't worry, I'm used to it," as she reached across the table and grabbed Noah's milkshake cup and began sipping from it.

When Noah returned he slid back into the booth, but this time sat on Rachel's side. "After we ditch the brat, I have something I want to show you." Ella rolled her eyes, "Toldya so." Rachel scolded, "Noah that's no way to treat your sister! Besides, y'know, I don't mind babysitting her with you." Ella glared at Rachel, "I am not being babysat! And I would rather hang out with my friends than be stuck with you and my dumb brother anyway!" Rachel bit her lower lip and looked at Ella apologetically, "Sorry, I, um, didn't mean . . ." Noah snorted. "Can it Berry, no backtracking out of that one." Ella sulked in the car the entire way to her friends house, but abruptly changed moods as she darted out of the car and across the lawn towards a small blue ranch house about a block from Noah's home. Noah caught up with her just as she reached the front door and rang the bell. A middle-aged woman opened the door, and greeted Noah and his sister. "C'mon in, Ella. Maddie is upstairs watching a movie." Noah rubbed a hand over his hair, "Thanks for watching her Mrs. Silverman." She peered past him to Rachel's figure waiting in the car. "Noah Puckerman, does your mother know you are pawning off your little sister to spend time with a girlfriend?" she teased good naturedly. Noah looked sheepishly back at Rachel waiting in the car, and Rachel waved timidly. "I don't think she'd mind this time, Mrs. Silverman." His neighbor peered past him with more interest, "Oh my, is that David Berry's daughter? From temple?" she squealed. "Does your mother know you are out with a nice Jewish girl?" Noah groaned, "Look, can we keep this between us? I can't risk mom getting too excited," and he winked at Mrs. Silverman. She looked at him conspiratorially, "Don't worry, dear, it'll be our secret. Ooh your mother will be so mad at me for not letting her know!" Noah grinned, "Thanks again, Mrs. Silverman." "No problem, dear, you kids have fun!"

Rachel of course was too far away to overhear any of the conversation. But when Noah returned to the car she noted, "I didn't know your sister was friends with Rose Silverman's daughter." Noah grunted, "Yeah Mrs. Silverman is my mom's best friend," he grinned at Rachel, "Only cougar in town that's off limits," he joked. Rachel gasped, "Noah, you're disgusting!" But Noah was already berating himself internally. He couldn't seem to remember to not be too much himself around Rachel. It was strange how easy it was to relax around her, but he also recognized that if he wanted avoid massively fucking things up with Rachel, he kind had to be less of a jerk around her. Being a jerk was a surprisingly good way to get girls interested in a hook-up. It's kind of a chick-magnetism in a way. But Puck realized that if he didn't want Rachel to hate him tomorrow, his traditional style wouldn't be the best idea.

"What are you thinking?" Rachel's voice interrupted his thoughts. Puck snorted, thank god she didn't know. It would sound like he grew a mangina. Geez, he reminded himself, he just wanted to be on Rachel's good side so he could keep his job, it's not like he _liked _her or anything.

Rachel was watching him and he realized he hadn't answered her question. "Nothing…" Rachel chuckled, "You just snorted out loud, you must have been thinking something." Noah actually felt his neck warm from Rachel's observations, "Just, um, deciding where to go." "You haven't already decided? I thought you had something you wanted to show me?" Rachel asked. She paid way to much attention to what he said, and gave it all too much meaning. Noah stammered, "Yeah, well, yeah, just figuring out the best way to get there, or whatever." Rachel didn't ask any more questions, but Noah was acutely aware of her intermittent shy glances in his direction. Moments later they turned down a road marked "private property, no trespassing." "Where are we going?" Rachel asked. Noah scoffed, "if I told you, it'd ruin the surprise." They pulled into a driveway marked with stone pillars. "Are we allowed to be here?" Rachel looked concerned. "Chill out, Berry. Trust me, I've done this tons of times." Rachel drew in a long breath, "Somehow that is not particularly comforting." The driveway concluded in a large parking lot, behind which was a large factory building that had long been abandoned. Noah put the car into park, and stepped out. Rachel, predictably, did not move. Noah sighed, and walked around to the other side of the car, opening her car door. "Well, you coming or what?" Rachel reluctantly stepped out of the car and Noah closed the door behind her, trapping her against the side of the car with his arm on the handle. Rachel's eyes telegraphed anxiety, "Is it safe?" her voice was quiet but it carried. Noah leaned in closer to her, "Rachel. . .trust me." He almost expected her to stomp her foot and demand that they leave immediately. He could hear the words now, "I will not trespass like some juvenile!," which is why Noah was so surprised that she said "Okay." His eyes shot open wider, "what?" I said "Okay" she replied, "I trust you." The reaction was involuntary. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up and swung her around. He had been so prepared for her refusal, her rejection, that the sheer excitement and joy of her assent was uncontrollable. Rachel giggled as he swung her around, and when he stopped they were both dizzy and he slid her down against his chest. Her arms stayed around his neck, and for the moment, Noah could not resist and leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers. She parted her lips ever so softly in response and the contact sent shivers down both of their spines. But even as their lips met, Noah's brain repelled, he pushed her gently away and ducked his head. "Sorry . . .that was a mistake." Rachel instantly recoiled and hurt rolled off of her body in waves. "No! Rachel, that's not what I meant . . ." Noah pulled Rachel closer to him again, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Noah sighed, "Look Rache, it wasn't a mistake to kiss you. I want to kiss you, you have no idea. . . but listen," Rachel was looking up at him, she hadn't returned her arms to his body, and instead clutched them against her chest protectively. Noah continued, "listen . . . I fuck everything up, and this. You and me. I can't fuck this up. I'm sorry."

"Shut up."

Noah's head shot up, "What?"

"I _said_, 'shut. up." Rachel giggled, and with that Rachel stood up on her toes pressed her lips firmly against Noah's, and for the first time that day Noah managed to ignore the lingering doubts in his head and he pulled her even closer to deepen the kiss.

Chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7: Concrete Sky

AN: Sorry for the delay. This is my first ever fan-fic, so I'm still getting used to the concept, but thank you all so much for your comments, and please let me know what you think and if you have any thoughts for where this should go. I have some ideas but could use some inspiration! Thanks!

Rachel tried to focus on the way Noah's lips felt against hers, and not to be distracted by the way his hand was moving over her waist to the small of her back, and then slipped lower. Rachel pulled away shyly and reached her hand down to grasp Noah's wandering one. Noah smirked at her, a little sheepishly. "I guess old habits die hard," he murmured and leaned forward to capture her lips again, but Rachel restrained him to a simple peck, before pulling away and leading him by his hand toward the warehouse-like factory building in front of them, all prior fear she felt being supplanted by a need for distraction from the sudden intimacy. "What did you want to show me here?" she asked coyly and Noah, fully conscious of Rachel's attempt to distance them, followed willingly. "You're gonna love this . . ." Noah said, and took charge, leading her around the side of the building to a small rusted door, which he opened without effort, and stepped through pulling Rachel behind him in the dark and cool air. Rachel's eyes adjusted quickly, but she couldn't help moving closer to Noah's body, as if his proximity and warmth would offer her some protection from the unknown atmosphere. She gasped in and breathed a sigh of delight. They were standing in a large room, surrounded by a few abandoned machines covered in years of dust and decay, but with a open space in the middle of the floor. Over the open space, both the second floor and the ceiling of the building had fallen in on themselves, letting in a single ray from the sun, and projecting a perfect spotlight into the middle of the floor. Rachel eyed the crumbling ceiling with awe, but warily. "What is the place?" she asked, surprised at how her voice naturally came out in a whisper to accommodate the stillness and silence and how nonetheless it pierced the air. Noah answered in his normal tone, which resonated throughout the room, "It's the old tobacco factory," he hesitated, "My dad used to work here when I was a kid, but he lost his job when the place shut down. He used to bring me here, after it closed- he pried the padlock off with a crowbar the first time." Rachel snuck a glance at Noah's face, but he seemed caught in the memory. He rarely spoke of his father. "At first he came here to steal stuff, but after a while there wasn't much left. Then he'd come here to drink and break shit." He nodded almost imperceptibly toward a wall of factory windows which had each been shattered. Rachel cringed- she could imagine a young, scared Noah watching his father, drunk, as he exhausted his rage and frustration on the dirty glass, until he collapsed covered in blood and sweat. She didn't know that Noah had watched with relief, that his father's rage had an outlet other than his mother and himself. Rachel squeezed his hand in silent support, and Noah seemed to remember her presence as he brought his eyes to hers, and then lowered them to the floor, where his sneaker scratched a pattern in the dust. "Anyway, I come here sometimes." Rachel wasn't sure what to say, but ventured, "why did you bring me here?" Noah smiled, and stepped toward the light in the middle of the room, pulling Rachel behind him. Rachel quivered, "Wait!" her voiced echoed slightly, "is it . . ." she looked up at the ceiling tiles hanging precariously over their heads, "is it safe?" Noah rolled his eyes, "C'mon Rach, you'll love this," and pulled her arm again, and she relented. When he had her centered in the room, centered in the light, he stood directly behind her. She felt his body pressed against her back and his hands settled gently on her waist. She felt her adrenaline quicken as he leaned down and placed his head next to hers, his cheek brushing against hers sending chills to each extremity, and his whispered throatily in her ear, "sing something." Rachel pulled her head away so she could turn and see his eyes, "What?" she asked. Noah pressed his smiling lips to hers for a brief, sweet moment, and then repeated, "Trust me . . .just sing." Rachel felt his hands leave her waist and rush of air as he moved away from her body, leaving her alone in the sun's natural spotlight. She closed her eyes and took a breath, but naturally relaxed. She knew what to do in a spotlight. A spotlight was where she belonged. And it was easier for her to fall into that comfort when Noah wasn't so close, distracting her and causing her nerves to jangle. She paused for a moment and then after a breathe, let her voice carry. She didn't even stop to think about the song, it just presented itself to her lips naturally.

_I'd like to swim in a clear blue stream  
Where the water is icy cold.  
Then go to town  
In a golden gown,  
And have my fortune told.  
Just once,  
Just once,  
Just once before I'm old.  
_

Rachel softened her tone. The acoustics were amazing and her voice sounded fuller, sweeter to her ears than it ever had before.

_I'd like to be not evil,  
But a little worldly wise.  
To be the kind of girl designed  
To be kissed upon the eyes._

She was so caught in the performance, the emotion, and her own desire that she forgot Noah was watching her from the shadows. She twirled and swayed in the spotlight. Noah watched her captivated. He knew her stage face, and that she looked most natural when she was on stage, performing, but had never seen her look so free. None of her usual determination for performance came through- this was a prayer for herself.

_I'd like to dance till two o'clock,  
Or sometimes dance till dawn,  
Or if the band could stand it,  
Just go on and on and on  
Just once,  
Just once,  
Before the chance is gone!  
_  
_I'd like to waste a week or two  
And never do a chore.  
To wear my hair unfastened  
So it billows to the floor.  
_  
_To do the things I've dreamed about  
But never done before!  
Perhaps I'm bad, or wild, or mad,  
With lots of grief in store,  
But I want much more than keeping house!  
Much more!  
Much more!  
Much more!  
_

Rachel still hadn't opened her eyes, as the final note crescendoed and the sound finally died. She was so completely unconscious of Noah's presence that she gasped and her eyelashes fluttered, when she felt his lips press down on the lids of her eyes. "The kind of girl to be kissed on the eyes?" he asked, "What song was that?" Rachel opened her eyes, and they glistened with brilliance. "Much more, from the Fantasticks." Noah laughed, "Only you," he said, "would choose a song from a musical." Rachel felt the involuntary blush creep up her neck, "Well, what do you sing?" she asked, as Noah's hands, which had settled on her shoulders rolled down over her arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "Someday" Noah promised, "I'll tell you," and he leaned down to kiss her again, chastely this time, trying hard to be aware of her boundaries and that having left herself be so free, she was now embarrassed and shy again. "C'mon" Noah said, before Rachel could push him to reveal another personal secret. He pulled her hand again, away out of the spotlight and toward the exit. Rachel, once so unwilling to enter, was now reluctant to leave. This place seemed almost a metaphor for Noah himself, flawed, abandoned and unnoticed for what it was, but with the too often the unrealized potential for beauty. She was certain that Noah had never brought another woman here. It made him far too vulnerable. She followed him to the exit nonetheless, finding herself drawn to him with an irresistible magnetism, and couldn't help but wonder, if in the end, she was one made more vulnerable every time he shared something with her. 

Chapter 6


	8. Chapter 8: Extraordinary Machine

AN: Thanks for the comments. I will try to incorporate especially to make it a little easier to read!

Noah gently pulled Rachel by her hand to her car and opened the door for her, closing it gently after she stepped in and then let himself into the driver's side. He smiled at her almost apologetically-

"I have to go pick up the brat. My mom will be pissed, if I'm not watching her when she gets off work."

Rachel shrugged. "Ok"

She tried to ignore the intermittent pangs she felt as they drove home, wishing the day wouldn't quite end yet. Noah's arm lay on the rest between their seats, and Rachel shivered as his skin brushed gently against hers. She reached up to turn on the radio and Noah's hand reached up and caught hers before she reached the dial.

"No musicals!" he smirked and glanced at her, but didn't let go of her hand, bringing it gently down to rest in his own. Rachel's excitement at their contact dulled any indignation.

A short while later they pulled up in front of the house where they had dropped Ella off earlier. Noah parked the car and got out, walking over to Rachel's side. He opened the passenger side door and helped her step out. She looked at his quizzically.

"We'll just walk home from here," he explained, "Sorry to cut our day short, but I gotta get her" (he indicated toward the house with a nod of his head) "back and start dinner."

Rachel was shocked at how suddenly disappointment welled in the pit of her stomach. She bit her lip and lowered her lashes, trying to mask her emotions, but Noah brought a hand under the chin and lifted it toward his own. He leaned his head down and capturing her lips with his own, and instantaneously with his touch Rachel flushed with pleasure. She was embarrassed how much his contact and attention affected her. His voice was low and gravelly, "I'd like to see you tomorrow . . . but I got a thing, with the guys."

Rachel nodded and dropped her eyes again. "Ok." In contrast to her typical loquaciousness, Rachel felt mute.

Noah lifted her chin again, this time causing her eyes to meet his own.

"I'll see you, Monday?"

Rachel nodded miserably and in an instant he had turned away from her and headed toward the door.

Rachel chided herself. She was acting ridiculously. Yesterday she had practically hated Noah. He was infuriating, she reminded herself, and crass.

But today, suddenly and _pathetically_ she felt like she could breathe in his absence, and the thought of not seeing him for the next 24 hours paralyzed her with unhappiness. As if in response to that thought her breathe caught in a choked sob, and before Noah could turn back and see her reaction, she hurried to the driver's side of the car, and drove away. Noah turned only for an instant to watch her drive away.

"You are being an _idiot_!"she thought to herself. "This is _Noah Puckerman_, and if he had any idea how you were acting right now he'd want nothing to do with you."

Rachel felt such incredibly overwhelming desire, for Noah to want her, to want to be with her. And it was so sudden and unexpected she could barely process it. But in direct correlation to her distance from Noah rationality returned, and Rachel was sputtering with indignation, furious with herself.

Just one week ago she was hopelessly hung up on Finn Hudson, and in the past three days she had barely afforded Finn a second thought. And now, now she was _throwing_ herself at the first chiseled cheekbone to cross her path. "Composure, Rachel," she scolded herself, "get it together." Noah Puckerman was a rebound from her affection for Finn. And a poor choice for a rebound at that. I'm not going to think about him _once _tomorrow, she promised herself.

Rachel's mantra, "I'm not going to think about Noah" last until approximately 9:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, _if _you didn't count her dreams Saturday night. And she could hardly be responsible for the unconscious thoughts of a teenager, with hormones at their peak, could she? She made it through her morning workout without incident, and cooked breakfast with a steadfast philosophy of actively and forcefully focusing on each individual task.

Not thinking of Noah was almost a meditation- the second the hint of hazel eyes or muscular arms crept into her brain she immediately forced it back out. And it would have been _fine_ if she hadn't decided to watch the movie _Leap Year_ which she ate breakfast. Who in their right mind makes a romantic comedy about a couple that can't stand each other? And the actor that played Declan had Noah's amused smirk to a _tee._ "Argh!" Rachel groaned and threw her spoon across the room, where it left a splatter of soy yogurt in the middle of the wall.

And then Rachel giggled.

When she finally let herself think of Noah, a hundred images flooded her brain. She thought through their interactions of the week as if watching from the outside, with a movie playing in her brain. The ridiculous mental picture of her clutching a towel to her chest. Noah's teasing and adorable smile when she helped him with legal terms. She _knew _she was over thinking everything. But spending time with Noah the last few days, as annoying as he could be, had added more fun and distraction to her summer than she could have possible anticipated. And she knew she couldn't wait to see him again, even though it was against her better judgment.

Once Rachel accepted that she couldn't keep Noah out of her head, the day became impossibly and unbearably slow. She spent over an hour choosing an outfit to wear home from dance class the next day, and then an hour later, scrapped it and started over again. Finally, she just lay on her bed, staring at the glow in the dark stars on her ceiling and let thoughts swirl through her mind, unheeded, until she fell asleep.

Coming home from dance class the next day, Rachel was nervous. She was entirely unsure how to act around Noah, and she knew it was up to him to set the tone. Would he kiss her, or pretend it never happened? If he pretended nothing happened would it be because he wishes it hadn't or just because he doesn't want to seem inappropriate in front of her father, _his boss_?

Rachel had taken her time after dance class to change out of her leotard and tights. Usually she came home to shower, but today she took the time to wash her face and reapply her makeup. She knew that dancing lent a rosy glow to her complexion and that letting her hair down from a tight bun made it fall in curls that complemented her face. She had even dabbed a little perfume behind her ears.

So when she got home, she was in no rush to head up to her room and went straight to the kitchen, hoping to find Noah. To her disappointment, the kitchen was empty. She was purposefully loud, allowing the kitchen cabinets to crash closed, announcing her presence, and finally, reluctantly, she took her glass of water upstairs to her bedroom. She had only just closed the door behind her when it came crashing open. Noah stood in the doorway with an adorable pout on his face.

"No dance clothes?" he asked, looking innocent.

Rachel laughed, and tried to ignore the warm feeling that encompassed her at his presence. "Sorry to disappoint, I changed at the studio today."

Noah frowned even more, "So what are you doing up here, then? C'mon! I need your help." And turned around and headed back down the stairs.

Rachel laughed. Just like that, awkwardness eased. She followed him.

"Did you really wait until I was upstairs to say hello so you could catch me in my leotard again?"

Noah chuckled, "Hey babe, can't blame a man for trying."

Any awkwardness may have abated, but that did not nothing for the tension. Sitting together hunched over the legal books, Rachel was incredibly aware of Noah's skin against hers as their arms brushed together. He took her hand under the table, and played with her fingers against his, pressing them like keys of a piano. Rachel sucked air in as his fingers moved to play a sonata on the inside of her thigh.

She was incredibly turned on, and couldn't decide if she should be nervous, or how to react to the fact that her body undeniably craved his touch. She found it impossible to focus on anything but the tempo of his fingers on her skin. The words danced on the pages in front of her.

"Hey Rache . . ." he was whispered in her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. "What do you know about the penal code?"

Rachel could barely bring herself to scold him. "Noah. . ." her voice was too breathy, "you're such a . . . child." Noah chuckled. He lowered his lips from her ear and let his lips drift against her neck. Rachel's whole body quaked. He wasn't _kissing_ her exactly, just running his lips excruciatingly slowly from her chin to her ear and back, and it was driving her crazy. She was sure in the next moment that he would have drawn her lips to his own, had the doorbell not rang. The bell pierced their bubble of intense desire and they sprang apart suddenly, the legs of Rachel's chair screeching against the floor. Noah laughed under his breath. Rachel was bright red, and she felt like the air around them was thick with hormones and sexual desire. She pushed her chair further away from the table, causing Noah's arm to fall off the back as she stood up.

"I'll get the door."

Noah was still, infuriatingly, laughing. "Hurry back, Rache" he chuckled.

Rachel smoothed her skirt and turned toward the living room. She took one moment to compose herself before opening the door.

She started at the tall lanky figure of the teenager standing in front of her.

"Hey Rachel."

_Of course_, it was Finn Hudson.

Chapter 6


	9. Chapter 9: No Wise Words

_Of course_, it was Finn Hudson.

"I hate you," Rachel spat. "You're stupid and ugly and . . . and a horrible person." She glared miserably at her reflection as tears rolled down her cheeks unheeded. "No wonder nobody likes you." she sobbed. She wiped away tears and streaming mascara, staring herself down in the mirror. "You look even uglier when you cry," she thought bitterly.

She had been such an idiot.

When Rachel had seen Finn at the door, she panicked. That was her only excuse. She slipped outside and quietly closed the door behind her, hoping not to alert the boy inside her kitchen to the presence of his former best-friend.

"Hi Finn." Rachel's voice betrayed her surprise and hurt.

Finn looked down and ran a hand through his hair, "I guess you're not going to invite me in?"

Rachel looked nervously at the door, "I would but . . .my father is working and he's very particular about not being disturbed."

Finn had that confused look on his face that Rachel used to find so adorable. He probably remembered countless times Rachel had dragged him up to her room telling him it was 'soundproofed.' Rachel knew her lie fell flat, but had no choice but to stick with it.

"Look Rachel," Finn took a step toward Rachel and she immediately took a step away. Finn looked hurt. "Rachel, I'm sorry I didn't write back to your texts and e-mails and stuff."

Rachel shrugged, "It's ok."

Finn shook his head, "No it's not. Look I'm really sorry. I really like you, and I just needed some time to sort stuff out with me and Quinn."

Till now Rachel had been pleasantly surprised that her body did not betray her to Finn, but she couldn't hide her cringe at the mention of Quinn's name.

Finn took another step toward Rachel, and this time with her back against the front door, she had nowhere to retreat.

"But, look I figured some of that stuff out. Not all of it. But some. And I know that I miss you, Rachel. I miss singing with you."

Rachel almost rolled her eyes. Finn didn't want _her, _he just wanted her voice, as always.

Finn continued unaware of Rachel's reaction, "Anyway, I thought maybe we could, I don't know, hang out sometime. Or something."

Rachel steeled herself and took a deep breath. "Finn, I accept your apology" Finn's eyes lit up, and Rachel continued hurriedly to qualm his reaction, "but I don't know if _this_" she motioned between the two of them, "is what _I_ want anymore. I have to figure that out on my own, and I need a little time. I hope you understand."

Finn's eyes fell and he nodded sadly. Rachel felt her innate reaction to comfort him swell up. He always looked like a kicked puppy, and her heart broke as she heard Finn say "Well can't be at least be friends, until you figure that out?"

Rachel reached over to Finn and hugged him gently for a moment, but as she felt his arms curl around her waist, it felt _wrong_ somehow. She pulled away once more, but his hands rested gently on her hips.

"I don't know, Finn. I want to be, but I don't know how to be just friends with you."

The sparkle of hope in his eyes was undeniable. Rachel knew she had to get away.

"Finn, I'm kind of busy right now, but I'll . . .I'll _call_ you, okay? And this time," she paused for emphasis, "when I call you, call me back, okay?"

Finn nodded. He leaned forward and Rachel froze, but his lips passed her own as he kissed her cheek and whispered, "Thanks Rachel" and then he turned and walked away, head down and hands in his pockets.

Rachel watched his retreating figure, and reflected for a moment how much better it felt now to have her heart crumble when Finn Hudson walked away. Then she reflected for a moment. She thought she had done the right thing, but what would she tell Noah? She would tell him the truth she thought. That Finn Hudson had come to see her and she had sent him away. Rachel thought Noah would like that.

But when she got back to the kitchen there was no sign of the boy at the table. No sign he had ever existed. The books were gone. The door to her father's study was still closed, and she thought maybe Daddy had called Noah into his office. She settled on the couch in the living room to watch a movie and wait for Noah. But after thirty minutes she was getting hungry, and Noah hadn't come out yet.

She grabbed a couple take out menus and knocked tentatively on her father's door. "C'mon in, pumpkin," she heard. She turned the handle saying as she walked in, "I was thinking I should order dinner." Her father looked up from his desk and Rachel was incredibly aware that Noah was not in the room. "

"Ok, Star, just order for two tonight."

Rachel's voice lilted upwards, "Oh? Where's Noah?"

Her father had returned to his paper, and didn't notice the blush on Rachel's face. "Oh, he said he wasn't feeling well and left about 15 minutes ago."

Rachel tried to sound nonchalant, "Ok."

She closed her father's study behind her, and leaned against the door. Why did her heart feel like it was crushed in a vice? Why would Noah leave without telling her? Did he see her talking to Finn?

She was lost in her thoughts as she walked toward the kitchen phone. She meant to dial the number for the Chinese restaurant, but dialed Noah's number instead. The phone rang and rang, but no one picked up. Finally the machine clicked on and Noah's voice rumbled over the receiver,

"Yo, it's Puck. Leave a message, or don't. I don't care," in the background she could hear both Ella screaming, "No fair! You said I could do it" and Noah's mother admonishing, "Noah, that is not an appropriate message." Rachel couldn't help but giggle, but was shocked into seriousness at the tone indicating the recording began.

"Noah?" Rachel began tentatively, "Are you there? It's Rachel." She waited a moment, no one picked up, "My dad said you're feeling sick?" she paused again, "I hope you feel better. I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

She pressed the button on the receiver and then dialed for take-out. Rachel felt incredibly restless, pacing in the living room, until dinner came. She arranged the boxed on the table, to look as though she had already taken her share, and then called to her father, "Dinner's here, daddy, I'm taking mine up to my room," and before he could respond Rachel had grabbed her jacket and quietly let herself out the front door. She knew her father wouldn't notice her absence, so long as dinner was there.

Rachel knew she was going to Noah's house, but didn't take her car. Already she was thinking irrationally. His house was at least 3 miles away, but she pulled her arms into her jacket and stormed in that direction.

She made it about halfway. She was shortcutting through the playground behind the elementary school when she saw him. Standing next to the pond on the other side of the fence from the school and throwing rocks in to the water. "How cliché," she thought bitterly. She slowed her pace until she was about twenty feet from him.

"I thought you were sick," she said acidly.

Noah jumped, startled by her voice. Then, without turning to face her, replied, "Whatever, _Berry, _I was doing you a favor."

Rachel seethed and stomped toward him, "Explain to me, how in your _pea sized brain_, you thought leaving was 'doing me a favor'?" she demanded.

The edge in Rachel's voice startled even her. Noah whirled to face her and even in the dim light, she could see his eyes were black and furious.

"_Trust me_, Berry," and Rachel cringed because she knew he was throwing her trust at her ironically, "it's better for all parties involved if I'm not there when you have a love fest with your Golden retard."

Rachel huffed, "Finn has nothing to do with this?" but it came out like a question.

Noah scoffed, "Yeah well you wouldn't be saying that if his fist was in my face. Did you even tell him I was there?"

Noah turned back to the lake a threw another rock.

Rachel sighed, "No. . . I didn't tell him you were there. Noah," her voice was gentler now, "I told Finn to leave."

Noah's head shot toward her, "Why?"

"Because I told him I don't know what I want."

Whatever reaction Rachel expected this to earn from Noah, fury was not it.

He stormed toward hers.

"Look Berry, let me make is simple for you. You _want_ Hudson. Doofus wants you. You can all live happy fuckin ever after and leave me the fuck alone?"

Rachel was shocked by Noah's anger, but tried to sate him, "Is that what you want?"

Noah's rage was unabated, "Why the hell would you give two shits what I want? Look Berry, go find Golden Boy, LEAVE ME ALONE!" his voice raised to a crescendo.

Rachel took a reluctant step backwards, but persisted, "I thought you _needed_ me, you needed my help."

Noah's voice calmed slightly, but was still raised, "Look, Berry, I'm not an _idiot_. Ok?"

Rachel started to reply "Of course you're not," but Noah cut her off, his voice low but grave.

"Look Berry, thanks for your help or whatever. Ok? I got it from here. You don't have to waste any more time with me, ok?"

Rachel's heart ached and she boldly asked, "What if that's not what I want?"

Noah was close to her now and her heart was pounding.

Noah's voice was soft now, but powerful. "Ber. . . Rachel. Like you told Finn, you don't know what you want. But I'm not _interested_ in waiting around until you figure out its him."

He moved past her, his shoulder brushing hers, while Rachel hugged her arms to her chest. Noah didn't care. Noah wasn't _interested_. Of course he wasn't. Why would he be interested in her?

Rachel felt empty and angry and hurt. She went home and crawled into bed. Not bothering to take off her clothes, or even her shoes, just pulling the covers over her entire body. But she couldn't sleep.

Her own self-doubt wouldn't let her acknowledge that Noah might not mean what he said, but she was still hopeful she could apologize. That they could be friends at least. That he'd let her help him. She wanted to. She didn't cry, until the next morning.

She woke up groggy. Her head pounded and her throat ached. She dragged herself downstairs to the kitchen where her father was already drinking coffee.

"Daddy." She began.

Her voice sounded awful, and it caught his attention. "You ok, pumpkin."

"I feel sick. I think I have to miss dance class today." Her father was scrutinizing her now. "Honey you look _awful_, I hope you didn't catch something from Noah."

Rachel let out something between a sob and a laugh. "No Daddy, I think I just need to rest, I'll feel better later."

Her father nodded sympathetically, "Ok sweetheart, well if you want to go to the doctor just let me know."

Rachel nodded, and headed back to the stairs, but noticed through the stained glass door a figure sitting on the door step. It was 8 a.m."Noah" she thought and she opened the door quickly.

But it was Finn Hudson on the step. He looked up startled at the open door.

"Finn?" Rachel's voice was barely a croak, "what are you doing here?" He stood up and faced her.

His voice was urgent, "Why didn't you tell me Puck was here last night?"

Rachel felt a wave of despair and exhaustion rush over her. "Finn . . . I'm sorry, I just . . ."

Finn's voice was angry, but low. "Rachel. I _trusted _you. You . . . you lied to me. Everyone else lies to me, about Puck, about Quinn, about the baby." His voice cracked on the word 'baby.' "But you too?" He was pleading now and the _et tu, Brute_, tone of betrayal was unmistakable. "I . . .I take it back. I don't want to be friends." His voice was bitter. Rachel watched him unbelievingly. Not even trying to get a word in edgewise. "Just . . . leave me alone, Rachel."

"Ironic," she thought, "since you're the one on my doorstep," and then she burst into tears. She closed the door in Finn's face, and raced upstairs. And that was how Rachel came to be staring at herself in the mirror with self-pity and disdain.

Chapter 6


	10. Chapter 10: Nothing New is Sweeter

Reviews make me want to write!

After a few minutes Rachel's sobs subsided, but her breath came in quick gasps, punctuated by hiccups. She dragged her body miserably to the bathroom adjoining her bedroom, and washed her face and brushed her teeth, all the while continuing to glare hatefully at her reflection. She had only just crawled, still fully clothed, back into bed when she heard a knock on the door downstairs. Her bedroom door was cracked open, which was just sufficient for her to overhear and recognize Puck's voice when he greeted her father.

Rachel pulled the blankets up to her chin and tried to hold her breath to calm the sharp staccato hiccups that kept erupting from her diaphragm. She listened intently, but could only barely make out her name and the words "upstairs" and "sick." Her curiosity could not overpower the overwhelming misery that consumed her entire building. She curled her body into a fetal position, pulling the blankets over her head and closing her eyes unnaturally tight.

Only about ten minutes later was her wallowing in self-pity interrupted by the sound of steady footsteps coming up the stairs. "It's only Daddy," Rachel thought, scolding her racing heart.

Moments later her door hinges creaked as they were pushed further open, and Rachel struggled to breath regularly. She didn't move at all. If it was her father, he would think she was asleep, and hopefully leave her be.

Rachel felt the bed shift as someone lowered their weigh to sit on it, and felt a hand reach over gently and rest on her hip. She relaxed ever so slightly, as the familiar contact indicated it must be her father sitting on her bed. His hand stayed there for a few moments, rising and falling with her body as she tried to calm her breath.

"Rachel," Noah's voice shocked her alert. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She knew he felt her body tense, but she stubbornly refused to move, to acknowledge his presence.

"Rach . . it's after 8 a.m. I _know_ you're not still asleep," he continued as if having a conversation with himself, "you probably haven't slept passed 7 a.m. . . ever."

Rachel's shock only increased as she felt his body shift until his head must be laying down on the bed next to hers, and his body laying flat. His weight was angled so she thought he must be on his back, with one leg laying off the bed. At that moment, her body betrayed her as one loud hiccup escaped from her protesting lungs.

Noah chuckled. "C'mon Rach . . .look at me." Her body quaked. His voice was so close, and her body ached from missing him, from wanting to be near him, and wanting everything to be ok.

"Look, Rachel . . ." Noah was not in the least discouraged by Rachel's lack of response. He could tell she was incredibly aware of his presence from her stiff spine and the way her body tensed at his every movement, every word. She was listening intently.

"You know I'm an asshole," Noah continued, "I'm sorry." He paused, giving her a moment to respond. When Rachel said nothing he continued. "I was just being a total douchebag. I . . ." Noah paused again, "Nothing, Rach? You're still not even going to look at me?"

"C'mon . . ." he coaxed, and let his hand which had been laying on her hip, slide up to her waist and squeeze tightly. Rachel squirmed from ticklishness and discomfort, and released her tight hold on the blanket she had tucked over her head just enough that Noah pulled at the covers with his free hand, revealing her head, with her head tucked toward her chest and her hair splayed over her face. He sat up and leaned over her and brushed her hair away from her face, tucking it behind Rachel's left ear, and then brought his chin down over her cheek to under her chin, and directed her face toward his own.

"Rachel. . ." as Rachel's large brown eyes met his they involuntarily filled with tears. "Oh baby," Noah's voice was soft and full of apology, "don't cry . . . I, I'm just, fuck Rach, I'm such, I dunno, y'know, I just fuck everything up." Noah was struggling for words and Rachel couldn't find any at all. Her sheer joy at seeing Noah, being touched by him, her body's reaction to his presence, overwhelmed her bewilderment, and without thought she reached for him, and he pulled her gently toward him until she was cradled in his arms.

The tears couldn't be stopped, and just streamed down her face and she tucked her hear into the crook of his neck. Noah gently rubbed his hand over her back, and Rachel softly cried from frustration and exhaustion and sadness and relief, each emotion washing over her, in turn.

After the tears appeared to subside, Noah leaned his head town toward Rachel's ear, and kissed her gently on the top of the head, and then asked, "we cool, babe?"

Rachel was unsure how to reply. She opened her mouth, but the words, were uncertain and, for once, reluctant to leave her mouth. "I . . .I'm confused."

Noah sighed. He was hoping to be quickly forgiven, but he also knew that Rachel would need to talk about what happened. "C'mon babe, you gonna make me say it?" Noah couldn't help it. These were words that he loathed to say outloud. "I was dumb and jealous, cause you were gonna pick Finn."

"But I didn't" Rachel finally found her tongue. "That's why I'm confused. I didn't pick Finn."

Noah nodded, "That's true," he acknowledged, "But you didn't pick me either. I just heard you tell Finn you didn't know what you wanted, and I dunno. . .maybe you don't but I do."

Rachel turned to look at him quizzically, "You do what?"

Noah's voice was even lower with the power of his admission, "I know exactly what I want."

Rachel was breathless, "Tell me." Noah almost groaned. This girl was half ingénue and half siren. She was playing him with his own desire, getting him to say things to her he could barely admit to himself.

Noah dipped his head even lower until his lips rested with feathery contact against her own, and moved against her mouth as he muttered, "C'mon babe, I think you know." His breath filled her mouth as he spoke and the hint of menthol and tobacco was intoxicating. Rachel pressed her body against his and moved her lips forcefully down over his. Their mouths moved against each other, parting their lips to provide access for their tongues to dance against one another. Her hips aligned with his and her body moved with a will of its own, pressing her groin to his. His hands roamed over her body, cupping her ass and pulling her into even closer contact, before moving up to her waist and stroking the side of her breast, leaving a trail of fire wherever he touched. Rachel wrapped one leg around his hip and used the leverage to pull herself even closer to him, and Noah groaned from the friction.

The knock on her door, which he had, of course, left wide open, caused them to jump apart from instinct. "Ahem," Rachel's father cleared his throat, "Noah . . .I' m pretty sure that is _not _one of the things I'm paying you for. . . and it Rachel's nearly as sick as she _claims _to be, it's probably not a good idea either . . . please come downstairs when you're decent" he paused, "_both_ of you."

Chapter 10


	11. Chapter 11: An Imminent Possibility

Rachel flushed with embarrassment and jerked her body away from Noah's. She hung her head and avoided making eye contact with the boy she was kissing just moments ago. Noah, to his credit, had recognized a twinkle of humor in Rachel's father's eyes as he admonished them. He rolled off the bed lazily and grabbed Rachel's elbow as she turned toward the door, her body cowed with shame and her arms rigidly across her own chest.

"Rach . . .," Noah said softly, pulling gently at her arm, as her body twisted toward him from the pressure. He draped an arm over her shoulder, but Rachel still refused to meet his eyes. For the second time that day, he brought his hand under the chin and directed her face towards his own. "Rach . . . don't worry, it'll be ok."

Rachel met Noah's gaze reluctantly, "You're not . . ." she paused, "you're not mad at me?"

Noah scoffed, "why would I be mad at you?"

Rachel voice wavered, "You, you said that this job, working for my dad, was too important to mess up . . . with me."

Noah brought his other hand to Rachel's hip and pulled her body flush with his own.

He tucked his head against her shoulder and whispered softly in her ear, "Babe, there's very few things I wouldn't mess up for a chance to mess around with you. . ."

Rachel laughed and snorted at the same time (her nose still stuffed from recent crying bouts), and buried her head deeper into Noah's sweater. Noah chuckled, "Are you wiping your nose on my sweater? Cause that's grody." Rachel giggled, but shook her head indignantly, "Of course not!".

Puck laughed and reached down to intertwine his fingers with hers, "C'mon, if your dad has to come back up here to get us, I probably _will_ get into more trouble than I can talk my way out of."

Noah pulled Rachel by her hand behind him through the door and down the stairs. He adjusted himself surreptitiously, still slightly turned on from Rachel's body being wrapped around his only moments before.

They approached the kitchen, where Rachel's father was sitting at the table reviewing documents. He peered up at them with a stern expression, but Rachel noticed his eyes pause momentarily on their clasped hands.

"Ok," Rachel's father started, "Now that you're both here, listen up, because I'm only going to say this once. I don't know how long this has been going on, but this is how it's going to work from now on. . . " He put down the paper in his hand, and lifted his eyes scrutinizing Puck first, and then Rachel.

"Puck," Rachel's father met Noah's eyes, "when you are here _working_ I expect you to be doing just that . . . working. As far as I'm concerned there is no legitimate reason for you to be _working_ in my daughter's bedroom and when you are here and not _working_," here his gaze shifted to Rachel, "your bedroom door should remain completely open at all times."

To Noah's surprise, Rachel interrupted, "But…"

Her father held up a hand to stop her. "Look, Rachel, I'll give you guys a choice, okay? I can either make the rule 'door opened', or I can make it 'no bodily contact,' which would you prefer?"

"Door open," Noah and Rachel said at the same time.

Rachel's father chuckled lightly, "Alright have it your way," his gaze was directed at Rachel but now his eyes were smiling, "but young lady, you can expect to have one very _awkward_ conversation about safety with your father when he gets home."

He sighed, missing his absent partner at those moments when their daughter was so clearly growing up. "Alright, have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, daddy," Rachel chimed along with Noah's formal "yes, sir."

Rachel's father finished, "Ok then, Noah get to work."

Noah squeezed Rachel's hand before dropping it and darted out of the room toward Rachel's father's office. Rachel turned on her heel to leave the kitchen and retreat to her bedroom, but her father's voice reached her a final time, "And Rachel . . ." she peered over her shoulder, "I am not impressed that you are using teenage angst as a reason to neglect the very important, very _expensive_ dance and singing lessons. Unless you tell me your goals have changed, let's remember the deal we struck, okay?"

Rachel sighed, "Yes, daddy. No boy will get in the way of Broadway, I promise," and she turned and took the stairs to her bedroom two at a time.

Rachel lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling, will her mind away from how it felt to wrap her leg around Noah's hip earlier, and trying not to blush and squirm as her skin tingled where he had brushed against her breast and held her hip.

She understood, more than ever, why he always cockily deemed himself irresistible. Her palms itched to touch him and her hormones drowned all other sensibilities when it came to him. There was no reason to doubt his touted sexual prowess; the man was a god with his hands. Her heart beat rapidly as she thought of his touch, imagines of his body danced through her mind.

Knowing he was here, in her house, only feet away and she couldn't see him, talk to him, touch him, it was torture.

The only thing that successful distracted her from Noah's proximity was figuring out what to do about Finn. She was simultaneously regretful and annoyed. On the one hand, he had no right to be angry with her. They weren't dating and that mostly (she admitted to herself) because of his own actions. And if they weren't dating he had no claim on her. But she also recognized that she had been purposefully deceitful in not telling him Noah was in her house; she knew it would hurt Finn's feelings (even if Noah was _just_ working for her father- which she admitted to herself even as she thought it was not entirely true).

She knew she did not try to keep Finn from knowing about Noah's presence merely to avoid conflict between Finn and Noah, but also because she selfishly had sought to keep all options open for herself: the option of her and Noah and the option of her and Finn. And that was unfair. Rachel didn't know what she wanted for certain, but she knew she had to choose between pursuing something with Noah or pursuing something with Finn. And she recognized that whichever she chose would strain if not eliminate her friendship with the other.

As much as she was enjoying her time with Noah, she wondered if it was sustainable. Would Noah even speak to her after the summer was over? Her heart clenched as she imagined him tossing a slushy at her on the first day back at school. But her adrenaline pumped as she thought of him touching her, exciting her in a way Finn never had.

And she knew that this vulnerable side of Noah that she was getting to see in full for the first time was incredibly attractive. This Noah also had the potential to hurt her more than Finn ever could; Finn could hurt her pride, but Noah could break her heart. . .

She thought about her promise to her father, "No boy will get in the way of Broadway."

She knew pursuing something with Finn was a safer choice, but Rachel was also driven never to settle. If honest with herself, she fantasized about an overwhelming, heart consuming, romantic love for her life. But she was also rational enough to realize that the odds of finding that love in her late teens were minimal, even if her choices now could impact the rest of her lift positively or negatively.

She thought back to her fight with Noah- he was frustrated because even though she hadn't chosen Finn, she hadn't chosen Noah either. She knew she had to make the decision before Noah's shift ended for the day, and he came up to her bedroom and she might do something she could later regret. But doubt consumed her . . . which boy to choose?

Chapter 10


	12. Chapter 12: Isn't the Red we Painted

There is no perfect romance. There are no two perfect human beings, so there can be no perfect romance. This fact on its own may not be fatal to the human heart. But when combined with the inflated sense of elation, the incredible high that one gets from new love, human fault is the pebble that starts a landslide of precipitous descent.

Maybe things would have been fine if Rachel hadn't fallen asleep while waiting to Noah to finish working downstairs with her father. Or perhaps they would have been fine if she had woken, like sleeping beauty, when Noah came into her room that evening and kissed her cheek as she slept. Or maybe thing still would have been fine if Noah hadn't gotten a text from Matt moments before he left the Berry household inviting him to a party.

It was at least at that moment that everything went to hell, because at that moment Noah hesitated and then decided to tell a little white lie. And any lie, no matter how little or innocent, crumbles the foundation of a relationship.

Every lie also derives from some honest truth (however unfair or ill-concealed). Noah's hesitation was the moment that he should have woken Rachel and invited her to the party. But in that moment Puck, for whatever reason, decided to let Rachel sleep and left her a note on her bedside: "Hey beautiful, playing video games with the guys, see you tomorrow," before letting himself out.

And giving Puck every benefit of the doubt, no matter how innocent his intentions, things might still have been redeemable, if he hadn't ended with the night with a random Cheerio's tongue stuck down his throat.

The thing is, that even as much as Noah had matured this summer, and added emphasis to his more attractive qualities, people don't change overnight. And Rachel's Noah had the same weaknesses that Puck had indulged every day of high school thus far.

So when he walked into Matt's house and was handed a plastic cup full of non-descript liquor, he downed it. He dominated beer pong, but carried his partner by finishing cups for her. And defended his title for shot-gunning 3 PBR cans in one minute with gusto.

It was hard to pinpoint the moment that he was out of control, and anyone at the party who saw Puck would have seen no recognizable difference in his character or actions than the jock they knew so well.

Around 1 o'clock in the morning, as Puck dazed in and out of consciousness while sitting on Matt's couch, and the room swirled around him, and a small lithe woman straddled his lap.

Puck's hands fell naturally to her hips, as she ground against him. The room swayed. The girl brushed her long blond hair to one side and leaned in to kiss Puck's neck. He heard her whisper into his ear, but couldn't focus on what she said. For one redeeming moment (that no one noticed, save the girl herself) he tried to gently push her off his lap. Later Puck would wish that in that moment he thought of Rachel, but in truth he was tired, and just wanted to sleep.

But she resisted the pressure from his hand easily and rolled her hips against his. And the sexual frustration from Puck's interrupted make out session with Rachel earlier in the day overtook his alcohol addled brain, as he put one hand behind the girl's head and brought her lips down to meet his.

Rachel slept through the entire night, and woken to Noah's note in the morning. His sweet missive warmed her heart. Her restful night cleared her mind and she woke with only Noah's face in her mind and only his name in heart. She knew who she was going to choose.

Noah woke with a dull ache of dread and panic. His head pounded in time to an alarm blaring somewhere in the unfamiliar house. Memories of the night washed over him in waves of regret. He had only an hour to get himself presentable for work with Rachel's father. Rachel. Suddenly nausea wracked his body. What was he going to tell Rachel?

Chapter 10


	13. Chapter 13: Guess She Gave You Things

AN: Sorry for the long delay in between chapters. I had almost abandoned this story but was inspired to revisit it by some recent comments. Thanks Kitty-is-a-Dreamer! I would have PMed but it's disabled. Comments encourage me to write! Of course I don't own Glee, but if I did, it would be all Puckleberry.

In his immediate panic, Noah called Rachel's father and begged off work due to illness that day, but after an hour or two of napping in his own bed, Noah had calmed down. Berry would never find out, he reasoned. She didn't really attend parties and he knew she wasn't in touch with any of the cheerios from Glee over the summer. And besides, he rationalized, it's not like they ever had determined they were actually "together," and like, committed, or whatever. Noah figured that if he and Rachel had a conversation about being together or whatever sometime soon that anything that happened before they were "official" wouldn't count anyway. He moved himself to the couch and turned on the TV feeling more and more comfortable by the second with his justification for his actions the night before. Around noon, his hang-over recovery nap was interrupted by the doorbell. He swung his legs off the couch and pulled open the front door to reveal Rachel on his front step.

Rachel blinked her beautiful huge eyes and she took in Noah, shirtless with the door open. "Berry, what're ya doing here?" he asked trying to ignore his guilty conscience. Rachel laughed, "_De ja vu…"_ she said. Noah frowned and crinkled his nose, "Deja wha?"

Rachel laughed again and then shrugged. "My father said you're sick?" she looked at him warily, implying he didn't _look_ very sick to her. Noah shrugged, "Just didn't sleep well" he said truthfully but omitted any mention of being hung-over, "I'm real tired." Rachel frowned, "Oh, well I guess you don't need this chicken soup…" Noah realized for the first time she had two big tupperware containers in her hands. He lifted an eyebrow, "_You _made chicken soup?"

Rachel brushed past him, inviting herself into the house and walked toward the kitchen. "Well it's soy chicken…" she said over her shoulder and Noah shuddered. "You brought me vegan chicken soup?" Rachel could hear the doubt in his voice. "Honestly Noah, if I hadn't told you, you would have never known the difference, it tastes exactly the same."

Noah snorted and he followed her into his kitchen where she was pouring the soup she brought into a bowl. "How would you know? Have you ever eaten the real thing?"

Rachel turned towards him, "I'll have you know that I wasn't always as conscious of welfare of animals in factory farms as I am today. I didn't become vegan until I was around 12 years old and experienced a very traumatic event that I don't like to talk about to this day." Noah raised his brow quizzically. He'd have to remember to ask her about that "traumatic event," but it was probably better done when he wasn't still fighting nausea.

Rachel handed him the bowl of soup, "Try it" she challenged. Noah grabbed a spoon from the drawer and headed back to the living room where he put the bowl on the coffee table. Rachel pulled his mother's arm chair over so she could face Noah and see his reaction. Noah hesitantly lifted the spoon to his lips and slurped, keeping eye contact with Rachel the entire time and smirking as she scrunched her face in distaste at his loud slurping noise. Puck dropped his spoon and grabbed his throat in a mock choke hold and coughed loudly. Rachel gasped and sprung out of her chair to right next to him hitting his back lightly, "Oh my goodness, Noah are you ok?" Noah couldn't resist laughing and took advantage of her proximity to grab her arm and pull her down into his lap. Rachel's eyes were wide and disbelieving at his joke. She slapped her hand against his arm playfully, "You jerk… you scared me." Noah wrapped one his strong arm around her tiny waist and pulled her even closer to him leaning his head towards hers so their lips were only inches apart, "Rachel..." he said breathily and he felt her tremble a little with anticipation. "I want you to know..." he continued, "it tastes nothing like real chicken."

Rachel couldn't help but laugh as she squirmed a little in his embrace. "Fine" she pretended to huff but her eyes gave her away "see if I ever bring you soup again when you're sick." Noah pouted, "Don't be like that…" he pulled her head down a little so their foreheads rested together, "I'll eat the whole bowl if it'll keep you here."

Noah frowned, "Hey how come you are here right now, I thought you have dance class… or something?" Rachel blushed, "I skipped," she admitted. Noah gasped in mock outrage "Rachel Berry! That is totally badass." Rachel wrung her hands together with embarrassment. "It was not my most responsible decision…" she sighed, "and don't tell my father or I'll be in huge trouble." Noah chuckled, "I wouldn't dream of it," he admitted. "I don't want him to think I'm a bad influence." Rachel grimaced, "the worst… I've never skipped before but I couldn't stop thinking about you." Noah smirked, "Ditto," and kissed Rachel's neck softly.

Rachel was still completely shocked at how sweet Noah could be. She placed her hands against her chest and used the leverage to slide off of his lap. "Noah…" she began hesitantly "I want to talk to you…" Noah grabbed the spoon off the coffee table and continued eating the soup, "Ok," he grunted, "Bout what?"

"I just want to know…" she paused and Noah looked up from the soup bowl at her, "... I want to tell you…" she paused again. Noah put down the spoon and turned his body toward her and took one of her hands, "spit it out, babe" he told her. Rachel rolled her eyes at his colloquialism and then launched into what can only be characterized as a Berry rant,

"Noah I want you to know that I know you heard me say that I don't know what I want but I've had a sufficient amount of time to think about what it is that I want and I've been very thorough in evaluating what is important to me and what makes me happy without compromising who I am or what's important to me in the large scheme of things, but I want you to know now that after really looking inside I've decided that I think it would be in my best interests to pursue some sort of a regular interaction with you on some romantic level and I've developed a certain attachment to you and I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think what I want is to try being with you if you have any interest in being with me, which I know you may not because you don't typically seem to have any inclination toward monogamy and I know you don't want to be distracted from work, but I think that if you were willing and interested you would find that I'm not terribly distracting because I'm also busy with other summer activities."

Noah chuckled, "Crazy-Berry" he said affectionately, "Are you asking me on a date?" Rachel shook her head no, "No, Noah, I guess I'm asking if maybe you want to date me, like be in a relationship or something." Noah reached his arms for Rachel to pull her back into his lap, "I thought we already were…" The words escaped his lips before he even had time to think about them and he cringed as his guilty conscience pounded in his head and he realized his mistake. If he told Rachel he thought they already were dating, then all his rationalization was out the window and there was no excuse he could possibly give for the fact that he made out with another girl the night before. 

Noah shook his head lightly as if trying to dislodge the guilty thoughts from his brain and tried to focus only on the way the small girl felt in his arms at that moment. Rachel would never find out, could never find out and Noah knew that if wanted any chance at something with her he had to make sure that was the case and never ever make the same mistake again.

Chapter 13


	14. Chapter 14: Teenage Hopes Alive

AN: Just a little drabble to tide you guys over until I get to the next chapter. I think only two more chapters till conclusion! I'm hoping starting in the next chapter the story will answer some open questions, so if there are any more, please send them in comments! I don't own Glee, but if I did, it would be all Puckleberry.

The next morning Puck was feeling better. His hangover was complete cured and he had bent the will of his nagging conscience into submission. He reasoned that if he was just the best boyfriend ever from here on out, his one slip up would be karmically negated. Ok maybe that was Rachel speak for what he really thought: if he was a badass boyfriend, that shit would even itself out, right?

Anyway, he started his plan to be the awesome boyfriend ever by stopped at the local coffee shop on his way to the Berry household to pick up a soy latte for Rachel. He got to the house at a quarter to nine (15 minutes before his workday was supposed to start) let himself in (as Mr. Berry had directed him to do) and snuck up to Rachel's room to try and catch her in her dance clothes again. This time when he opened her door however, Rachel was sitting at her vanity in a silk robe and curling the tips of her hair. The robe gapped just enough to let one long leg slip out that was curled around her chair leg and Noah paused in her doorway to admire it. Rachel caught his eye in the mirror and put down the curling iron on her desk. She winked at him and said "Good mornin' stud," in her most playfully lascivious tone.

Noah walked up so he was standing directly behind her chair. "Babe," he groaned and leaned down to kiss her neck and put the latte on the desk in front of her, "you are so fucking hot right now…"

Rachel giggled and then turned in her chair so she could bat her giant doe eyes up at him. Her tone was serious, but betrayed by the twinkle in her eye, "Well, Noah, y'know if I'm ever going to be a serious actress, I need to be able to channel many different types of experiences…" She playfully placed a hand on his left knee and ran it gently up the inside of his thigh.

Puck was seriously turned on by this side of Rachel- he had never seen her flirt so brazenly and it was incredibly hot. He reached down and grabbed her shoulders pulling her up to a standing and then stepped forward to position his body pressed against hers. "Rachel," his voice was soft and tremulous, "you can't play with me like that baby…"

The top of her robe gaped slightly and Puck could see no sign she was wearing anything underneath. He placed his hand on her waist and then let it travel over her lower back and down to her perfectly formed ass, feeling for any sign of a panty line but felt nothing. He groaned again. Rachel glanced coyly through her lashes, and pressed a hand to his left pectoral. "Why not?" she whispered. Noah pulled her body sharply against his, so she could feel the beginning of his erection.

"Because baby," he said through gritted teeth, "there are some things I know you need to take slow, but I'm having an awfully hard time holding back and if this fire gets much hotter, you might get burned."

Puck saw Rachel's eyes widen as she felt him pressed against him. He saw her take a shaky breath and could almost feel her pulse quicken.

"But it's ok to let it smolder, right?" Puck heard the self-doubt and fear in her voice and took a deep breath as he pushed his body away to create a few very important inches between them. "Right," he said and she sighed in relief.

Rachel definitely was not in control of what she was feeling- it simultaneously excited and terrified her. There was part of her that wanted to throw herself at Noah and meet his intimidating experience and expertise with brazenness and defiance. But every action on her part was in spite and defeat of crippling self-consciousness and doubt. And some small part of her also realized that Noah liked her for her naivete. If her goal was to preserve his interest in her, which was different from his apparent interest in any other woman that she had ever observed, she had to continue to promote what made her different.

And part of Rachel feared that Noah was only intrigued by the conquest and once he had her he would immediately lost interest and move on. But Rachel couldn't deny how he excited and turned her on, and how sexy she felt when she was conscious of his body's response to her. And some little part of her inner dialogue that was still infused with a teenage sense of dire drama kept whining in her psyche that she didn't want to _die a virgin_!

Puck for his part was berating himself internally. Dude, he hadn't even gotten to third base with Berry and he was already backing off? He knew that he was trying to be a good boyfriend but that didn't mean he had to get no action right? When did he turn into such a fucking pussy? Puck sighed. He had to turn off his inner dialogue. It was just his dick talking and that always got him in trouble. He took a few calming breaths and felt his body start to relax a little. He leaned down and gave Rachel a chaste kiss on the lips before taking a step back and creating more distance between them.

"Sorry babe," he shrugged apologetically, "I gotta get downstairs before you make me forget about work completely."

Rachel grinned at him. "Sorry?" she said without a hint of remorse in her voice. Noah chuckled, "Not a bad thing babe, you are seriously smoking in that robe. Don't let anybody else see you like that ok?"

Rachel winked at him, "Only you, Noah." Noah groaned again. The primal instinct in him made him want to grab her and screw her brains out all the time shouting "Mine, mine, mine!" but he knew that wasn't really an option and so he had to resist making a total ass out of himself. Especially when he was still walking on thin karmic ice, even if Rachel didn't realize it. He had to get the hell out of there. "I'll see you later, babe" and turned and rushed out of her door before he could second guess himself.

Rachel sat down at her vanity and took a couple deep breaths. She was proud of herself from daring to try and seduce Noah, and also extremely grateful to him for understanding her boundaries and respecting them, even when she might have been inviting him not to. All she knew was she would have an awful lot of frustration to work out on the dance floor today.

Chapter 13


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